1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control module for battery operated devices, which functions to open the battery circuit after a predetermined period of non-use. A timer including a motion detector is provided to re-close the battery circuit and reset the timer. The device is self-contained and is configurable so that it can easily be accommodated in many existing products without the need for redesign, or with only minimal redesign. The invention can have utility in flashlights, toys, and numerous other battery-operated devices for which power is needed only when the device is actually in use.
2. Relevant Art
A known problem with battery-powered devices, such as flashlights, toys, etc. is that they are often inadvertently left on after use, resulting in the cost and inconvenience of premature replacement of batteries. To avoid this, some battery-powered devices, include timers as part of the circuitry which shut the devices down, or initiate a standby mode after a predetermined period of non-use. Several such devices are mentioned in my above-referenced patent. There do not, however, appear to be commercially available shut-off devices adaptable to a wide range of products which can simply be purchased off the shelf, and interfaced with an existing product or design. Availability of such devices could reduce design time and cost, and through standardization, reduce component and even assembly cost. A properly designed device of this kind could be incorporated in many existing devices even by the end user, or during manufacture with no redesign in many instances, or with only minimum packaging and/or component layout redesign. A need for such a device clearly exists.
Another known problem, particularly in devices such as flashlights, is the need for frequent replacement of bulbs. Incandescent lamps for flashlights are rarely designed for long-life, and indeed, the opposite is usually true. Light output is generally increased at the expense of bulb life. Seemingly, spare bulbs are never at hand when needed, and replacement is often inconvenient in any event. A practical way to increase bulb life without reducing light output which could readily be incorporated in a flashlight would be desirable, but that, too, does not appear to be commercially available.